By Moses Ebosele, ebosele@hotmail.com –
Deciding on Audu Ogbeh as the City BusinessNews Online Man of the year was rather an interesting one. From a short list of four, five out of the six members of the editorial team of City BusinessNews voted for him.
The debates and arguments were centred round his integrity and sustained dedication to his job. His foresight also featured prominently during the meeting held on Wednesday, December 27, 2017, which was City BusinessNews last editorial meeting for the year.
Besides his dedication to the job at hand, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development under him is now a rallying point for the Federal Government’s diversification agenda.
Indeed, for the first time in so many decades, Nigerians are producing rice and other agricultural products in large quantities for local consumption and export.
Apparently satisfied by the performance of the ministry under Ogbeh, President Muhammadu Buhari last Friday in Abuja reiterated Federal Government’s determination to continually review and strengthen ongoing reforms in the agriculture sector, “until Nigeria regains its pride of place as a food exporting country.”
Explaining further, Buhari said: “We are not doing badly in the agriculture sector: Nigerians and indeed the world are beginning to appreciate our efforts. We are happy that rice and beans importation into the country have gone down by over 90 per cent, and everyone can see how productive states like Kebbi turned out to be and states like Lagos, Ogun and Ebonyi are following the example.”
The president said Kaduna, Katsina, Kano and Sokoto states had already reported remarkable turn-around in the agriculture sector, with more youths taking interest in entrepreneurship.
Besides the success recorded in Rice production, Nigerians are producing yam and other products in large quantity for export.
Born on 28 July, 1947, Ogbeh was chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) from 2001 until January 2005, and now a member of the ruling party of the All Progressive Congress (APC).
Reviewing Ogbeh’s performance sometimes ago, the Vice President, Yomi Osibanjo, while Acting as President, Yemi Osinbajo revealed that the Muhammadu Buhari administration literary begged Audu Ogbeh, to join the government.
Mr. Osinbajo made this remark at the Nigerian Initiative for Economic Development forum held at the Banquet Hall, State House, Abuja.
